Biometrics in the Small Business Environment: Part 2

The word "biometrics" conjures up images of cyborgs, science-fiction movies, and futuristic realities that only exist in the realm of Hollywood. However, this technology is real, fully functional, and quite possibly coming to an office near you.

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Security Benefits of Biometrics

In Part 1, I briefly discussed the technology of biometrics and its possible application in the small business environment. Now I'd like to take a look at the security benefits that biometric technology offers. First off, one of the most obvious benefits is the fact that biometric data is hard to fake or duplicate. The human body is an amazing thing in that each of us has entirely unique physical traits that differentiate us from one another. Biometric security technologies capitalize on this fact.

In the instance where security had been compromised, biometrics could be used for validation or redundancy checking. If John's ID badge is stolen and John doesn't realize it's gone, building security won't know they need to deactivate that badge until it may be too late. However, if a biometric device was in place, let's say a hand scanner for example, the thief would need more than John's badge. He would need John's hand as well. And I think John would notice if that was missing. At least I hope he would!

Another application is a biometric device that is connected to or built-in to an input device like a keyboard or mouse. One such device is the Touch Biometric Mouse from APC. This mouse has a fingerprint scanner built in that can be programmed to work in tandem with access to the computer itself, files, folders, and even web pages. The practical use for such a device in the small business environment could be with a server or human resources computer. Really any system requiring another level of security beyond the normal username and password.

As biometric technology and design matures, the possible applications in the small business environment will grow. For businesses concerned with a high level of security, this is an exciting prospect. Will the adoption of this technology truly mean more secure business environments, safer communities, and dare I say it... a potential decrease in identity theft? Only time will tell.

Biometrics in the Small Business Environment

The word "biometrics" conjures up images of cyborgs, science-fiction movies, and futuristic realities that only exist in the realm of Hollywood. However, this technology is real, fully functional, and quite possibly coming to an office near you.